Fiber: How Much? Health Tip of the week
By – Get You In Shape Personal Trainer Julie McCAN
Fiber: How Much? Health Tip of the week
By – Get You In Shape Personal Trainer Julie McCAN
Most people know that fiber is an important element of our daily diets. Given all the press and attention it gets from Cheerio commercials to shows like Dr. Oz, I give people the benefit of the doubt they know fiber can reduce their risk of cardio vascular disease as well as lowering total cholesterol specifically the bad kind, LDL and those not so nice triglycerides. In addition to these benefits, fiber can also aid in weight loss, reduce your risk of cancer, and improve your mental health.
So if my assumption is correct that the benefits of fiber are known, why don’t most American’s get enough fiber in their diets?
My conclusion that people do not get enough fiber in their diets is based on an article I read recently in IDEA Fitness Journal that stated, “dietary fiber is underconsumed across all segments of the population, with usual intakes averaging only 15 g/dy (ADA 2008). According to data compiled during the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2003–2004, average intakes of dietary fiber from food were 15–18.3 g/dy for adult men and 12.3–13.8 g/dy for adult women (CDC 2003–2004).”
Although the data is from a few years back, my guess is that it is still true. I base this guess on two things: 1) During our recent Journal Mania contest, I got the opportunity to review and comment on a number of client journals. The biggest and most common omission from their diets was the lack of fruits, veggies, whole grains and nuts (a.k.a fiber). At best, there was a very limited amount of calories coming from these foods. 2) I very rarely see the guidelines consistently and well documented on how much fiber is enough.
OK, I realize that my “guess” is not based on scientific data and I do not consider myself a nutrition expert, but I believe information is power. And, if American’s had easy to access, readily available information about what constitutes fiber and how much of it they should be eating, we may see more consumption. Dreaming? Maybe.
Regardless of what I see as fiber information utopia, it may be useful for readers and viewers of the GetYouInShape.com blog to have a quick reference and guidelines for fiber intake. In 2002, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) established and published guidelines for fiber. Their recommended intake for total fiber for:
Adults 50 years and younger is set at:
38 grams for men
25 grams for women
Adults over 50:
30 grams for men
21 grams for women
Given these guidelines and the facts from the survey noted above, Americans need to eat approximately 10 to 18 grams more per day. Since the guidelines are roughly based on calorie consumption, it stands to reason that the more active you are, the more fiber you should consume. The chart below from the IDEA Fitness Journal provides some examples of fiber choices that can be easily incorporated into your diets.
For more information about fiber, check out the source information listed below.
*Important as dietary fiber is, laboratory technicians have not yet been able to ascertain the exact total content in many foods, especially vegetables and fruits, because of its complexity. Consequently, estimates vary from one source to another. Where differing estimates have been found, an approximation is given in the chart, as indicated by an asterisk. The same symbol following calorie content means the number of calories has been estimated, varying according to other added ingredients, especially fats and sugars, and to the size of the “average” fruit or vegetable unit.